Paul_Hartley

Simple Flying recently examined just how dramatic the economic consequences can be when Ryanair withdraws capacity from a regional market. And the argument is still playing out today. As recently as August 24, Ryanair was publicly clashing with Spain’s transport minister over its retreat from regional airports, insisting that high airport charges — not a shortage of aircraft — were responsible. The airline says it has instead allocated capacity to cheaper markets including Morocco, Italy, Albania, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden, while regional Spanish airports remain heavily underused. Ryanair would argue that this is exactly how competition should work: airports that offer attractive costs receive aircraft, routes, tourists and jobs, while expensive airports lose them. But Ryanair’s scale creates an extraordinary bargaining position. Spain alone has lost around 3 million Ryanair seats from regional airports across 2025 and 2026, while elsewhere the airline has closed or threatened bases

Alaska Airlines has become an almost completely different airline from the one its name traditionally suggests. It now describes itself as building the country's fourth-largest global airline, has introduced an Alaska-branded 787 livery, and is flying from Seattle to Europe and Asia. Its January fleet order took the group's future 787 fleet to 17 aircraft, alongside an enormous 737 order designed to support years of further growth. Yet the name on those aircraft remains Alaska Airlines. The brand carries decades of loyalty and recognition within the US, particularly across the West Coast, and changing it could throw away enormous equity. On the other hand, a passenger in London, Rome or Tokyo encountering Alaska for the first time could reasonably assume it is a regional carrier centered on America's 49th state rather than an increasingly global airline headquartered in Seattle. This could restrict its growth, right as it ramps up competition with a globally recognized brand like Delt

Simple Flying recently examined how Ethiopia's extraordinary new mega-airport could reshape aviation across the entire African continent. Construction of Bishoftu International Airport officially began in January 2026, with the first phase now valued at around $12.5 billion. It is expected to initially handle around 60 million passengers annually before eventually expanding to 110 million passengers, four runways and parking for as many as 270 aircraft — potentially making it one of the largest aviation hubs anywhere in the world. There is a compelling argument for thinking big. Addis Ababa Bole International Airport is approaching the limits of what it can handle, while Ethiopian Airlines continues to grow its fleet, passenger numbers and enormous connecting network. Bishoftu is intended to be much more than Ethiopia's local airport: Ethiopian wants it to become a gateway connecting Africa with Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas, potentially transforming how passengers mo

Air France has made a major change to the way it serves its home city. From summer 2026, the airline has centralized virtually all of its Paris operations at Charles de Gaulle, with only its public-service flights to Corsica remaining at Orly. Domestic services to Toulouse, Nice and Marseille have shifted to CDG, as have flights to French overseas destinations including Pointe-à-Pitre, Fort-de-France and Réunion. Meanwhile, low-cost subsidiary Transavia has effectively become the Air France-KLM Group’s primary airline at Orly. Strategically, the logic is obvious. Concentrating Air France at CDG strengthens its hub, makes connections between domestic and international flights easier and leaves Transavia to compete more effectively for price-sensitive point-to-point traffic at Orly. But something may also be lost. When Air France expanded at Orly in 2020, the airline emphasized that the airport was closer to Paris and particularly convenient for passengers in the south of the city. For

Simple Flying has just looked at how Singapore Airlines has removed the Airbus A380 from 11 routes, another reminder that the upper end of its long-haul fleet is gradually changing. Meanwhile, Reuters reported in June that SIA is discussing an order for at least 50 large widebodies, potentially with dozens more options. The competition reportedly comes down to additional Boeing 777Xs or the Airbus A350-1000. That creates a fascinating choice. Singapore Airlines already has 31 777-9s on firm order, but the repeatedly delayed aircraft has still not entered passenger service. Conversely, SIA already operates a huge fleet of A350-900s, so the larger A350-1000 would introduce a new variant without introducing an entirely unfamiliar aircraft family. Ordering it could also reduce SIA's reliance on the 777X for its future highest-capacity long-haul flying. So what should Singapore Airlines do? Double down on the 777-9, or hedge its bet by ordering the A350-1000 as well?

Simple Flying reported just last week that American Airlines expects 48 new aircraft deliveries in 2026, part of a huge backlog that includes the Airbus A321neo and A321XLR, Boeing 737 MAX and 787-9. But one of the biggest decisions about American's future fleet has still not been made. CEO Robert Isom confirmed in June that the airline has an RFP in the market and is actively talking to both Airbus and Boeing about its next widebody order, with its 777s expected to begin retiring in the 2030s. Sticking with the 787 would seem the obvious answer. American already operates the 787-8 and -9, has another 19 widebodies on firm order and has options for a further 28. But asking Airbus to compete opens the intriguing possibility of the A350 finally joining American's fleet, giving the carrier an alternative to Boeing as it replaces dozens of 777s. That diversification has advantages, but so does the simplicity of staying exclusively with Boeing for long-haul flying. So what would you do: k